


Premonition

by Terrific_Lunacy



Series: First encounters in history [3]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Character Study, Flashbacks, Gen, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 15:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7898176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terrific_Lunacy/pseuds/Terrific_Lunacy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their last meeting happens on the dueling ground and while Hamilton awaits Burr’s shot, he remembers their first.</p><p>  <em> The potential for friendship had been there from the first moment. It was just that the potential for rivalry had always lurked underneath, equally strong. </em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Premonition

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 of the series, but can be read independently.
> 
> As far as facts and timeline goes I tried to keep it as accurately as possible, the rest is pure imagination.  
> This was supposed to be their first meeting only (like the rest of the series) but it somehow turned more into a thing that spanned their entire lives oops.

 

 

Hamilton remembers.

The first time he met Burr, he represented everything he wanted to be. Just one year apart in age, both orphans, both smaller than most of their contemporaries, their eyes shining as bright as their minds in an attempt to hide their past pain.

Hamilton was attending Elizabethtown Academy, the preparatory school across the Hudson River, his pride still a bit stung from Princeton’s rejection, his mind already set on King’s College.

Burr was spending his summer in Elizabethtown and Hamilton caught glimpses of the young man in the streets. He had attended the same Academy, before getting his education at Princeton and graduating at an enviable young age.

Hamilton was therefore understandably giddy with excitement when Hugh Knox’s friend, who had invited him over to dinner, opened the door to reveal Aaron Burr.

They were introduced to each other and Hamilton was already grinning eagerly before being presented. Burr’s face was locked in a perpetual pleasing mask, but upon catching Hamilton’s bright expression, his eyebrows quirked in amused interest.

Being the two youngest guests by far, the older adults soon left them alone.

And though Hamilton’s head was all but swirling with ideas about the best way to strike up a conversation, for once he had trouble putting them into words.

In the end, it was Burr who spoke first.

“ _Death comes rushing on in triumph veiled in a mantle of tenfold darkness. His unrelenting scythe, pointed, and ready for the stroke_.”

Hamilton was unable to do anything else but gape for a second.

Burr tilted his head. “Written by Alexander Hamilton, yes?”

Hamilton nodded excitedly. “That is-… I had no idea it would…”

Burr’s smile came out a bit sharper and less charming than usual, but all the more genuine. “I like it.”

And Hamilton was once again left speechless, twice by the same person in a matter of minutes. An impressive record.

Burr sipped on his drink, for now oblivious to his newfound ability, though he later on polished it with great care in order to stand a chance against Alexander’s torrent of words.

“You graduated Princeton in just three years,” Hamilton said finally, not wanting to mislead the other into thinking he was mute.

“I did.”

“How?” It came out breathless, jealousy and respect warring in the single word.

“You got rejected?” He stated it as a fact, thinly veiled under the question.

Hamilton’s face scrunched up at the sour reminder and Burr chuckled at his expression.

“They rejected me too, you know,” he said offhandedly and smiled when Hamilton’s eyes went impossibly wide. “I was eleven. They said I was too young.”

“What did you do?”

Burr shrugged. “I studied their first three year program at home in two years and applied for junior year.”

It was so unexpectedly cheeky behavior from the composed man in front of him that Hamilton burst out laughing.

“Well,” he said after catching his breath. “I don’t have the luxury to do that, but I’m going to King’s College and I’ll graduate just as fast.”

Burr’s dark eyes glinted at the challenge. “Oh?”

Hamilton nodded resolutely and raised his glass, “Just you wait.”

Burr smiled, raising his own. “I’ll wait.”

* * *

 

The revolution starts and they don’t see each other for quite some time.

But Hamilton keeps hearing about Burr, the man’s name seemingly popping up everywhere he went. Whenever Hamilton achieved something, Burr had already been there.

Even the position as Washington’s aide-de-camp had previously been occupied by Burr. Though Burr had left fairly quickly, over personal differences as the other aides recalled. Hamilton almost allowed himself to breach formality and ask Washington directly what exactly those reasons were, but managed to reign his curiosity in.

After the war he passed the bar _almost_ at the exact same time as Burr, moved to the same street in New York _almost_ at the same time as Burr and started his law practice _almost_ at the same time as Burr.

They socialized in the same circles and inviting Burr, his neighbor, over for dinner seemed an almost mandatory thing to do.

“I do not like him,” Eliza said afterwards, but could not name any specific reason for her statement.

Hamilton had laughed but mostly dismissed it, for many other people had professed the same. There was something about the charismatic man that put sensible people on guard.

But to earn the scorn, however gentle, of his dear wife was a difficult feat indeed. That Burr achieved such a thing on their first meeting was another of his many records and should have been all the warning Hamilton needed.

Instead he worked with Burr on several cases when the opportunity presented itself. And whatever gossip or his own intuition said about Burr, the man was first and foremost a magnificent lawyer.

“It’s a game,” Burr told him when they were out drinking in celebration of their recent success. “It has two sides, one winner and a set of rules like any other game meant to entertain.”

“It is the _law_ good man,” Hamilton replied scandalized.

“As I said,” Burr smiled.

They agreed to disagree.

* * *

 

Life moved on and whatever turbulent times passed Hamilton by, Burr remained a constant he could not seem to shake off.

Acquaintance, friend, enemy, colleague, opponent, partner or rival - Burr filled many roles, with many faces, contradiction seemingly the core of his character.

The truth was, as many slanderous accusations Hamilton could level against Burr, he could drown him just as easily in compliments. This was not due to any uncertainty Hamilton had regarding his feelings towards the other man, but because Burr’s character truly did evoke both opposites in him, depending on what side he was presented.

The potential for friendship had been there from the first moment, Hamilton thought, standing on the dueling ground in Weehawken. It was just that the potential for rivalry had always lurked underneath, equally strong.

His bullet missed.

Did he aim at Burr? Did he mean to throw away his shot? Hamilton doesn’t know.

He does know that he isn’t allowed to shoot again until after Burr tried. His own pistol hangs uselessly by his side while he stares at Burr, unharmed, only ten paces apart.

Burr takes his time - as always - to aim.

Their eyes meet and Hamilton remembers.

Burr shoots.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I actually googled and read Hamilton's poem about the hurricane! And Burr is quoting it because I say so.  
> Also, apparently Hamilton really did shoot first and then Burr had all the time in the world to aim. Damn.
> 
> Drop a comment or come say hi on [tumblr](http://terrific-lunacy.tumblr.com/) :)


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